During EWoS, ENGSO gathers experts to discuss the status of women’s sport events in Europe
On 25 September, ENGSO gathered organisers of women's sport events in Europe and relevant experts during a focus group discussion about the challenges and opportunities of women’s sport events.
This activity is part of the Reinforcing Women Sport Events (ReWSE) project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, led by ASSIST – Associazione Nazionale Atlete (Italy). It was organised during the 10th edition of the European Week of Sport (EWoS).
During the event, the general growth of women’s sport events was celebrated by participants.
- Participation of women in sport increases (read the Handbook on Women’s Participation in Sports published on ENGSO Education) and more grassroots sport events are organised for women (for example in running)
- More people are interested in and watch women’s sport
- Attendance record at major sport events are constantly falling
- In some sports, the gap in salaries and visibility is closing
The unique atmosphere and energy of women’s sport events was also highlighted during the discussion, stressing the diversity in the audience, with more families and a broader fan base.
However, this growth hides a contrasted reality with persistent gaps:
- Many events, especially at grassroots level, are still organised by men for women. The narrative around sport remains too narrow, the emphasis remaining on competition and performance, which partly explains the barriers to participation in large grassroots sport events.
- There are still restrictive practices in certain sports, which control women’s bodies and limit opportunities.
- Funding and visibility are lacking, as is the presence of women in coaching and leadership roles. Structural challenges remain across Europe, where women remain underrepresented in sport governing bodies, and this weakens inclusivity and sustainability at all levels. Being attractive to women is a constant challenge for certain sports.
The focus group discussion also gathered feedback on the Digital Map of EU women’s sport events, which will contribute to the further development of training tools for organisers.
ENGSO would like to warmly thank all participants for their valuable insights and contributions.
About ReWSE
The ReWSE project aims at increasing sustainability, visibility and inclusivity of women sport events in Europe by:
- Strengthening skills and preparation of organizers of women sport events to put into practice the EU Green Deal guidelines in sport and be inclusive valorizing sport women with disabilities.
- Contributing to reducing the gap between men and women sport events in terms of media coverage and visibility.
- Increasing concrete opportunities and tools of networking and support for women’s sport events.
- Pushing sports donors, sports media and decision makers / policy makers in sport to increase attention, investments and visibility to women sports events, with specific attention to sustainability and inclusivity as key assets.